Kitchen utensil



NOV. 8, 1932. o, 51-, PlERRE 3,886,917

KITCHEN UTENS IL Filed May 6, 1931 UVEm/UF Ga /aye cf Jzfflrre.

Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED stares ocTAvn .1. ST. PIERRE, or CHICAGO, iLniNoIs KITCHEN UTEnsIL Application filed May 6, 1931. Serial N0. 535,425.

The present invention relates to a kitchen utensil and particularly to one useful in opening cans, bottles and the like. 7

An object of the presentinvention isto provide a kitchen utensil adapted to open cans, bottles, and jars having various and sundry types of tops or closures.

Another object of the invention is to provide an opener for cans or bottles which has 10 a'screwtop and which .opener is efficient for readily unscrewing capswhich could not be unscrewed by hand. 1 i

A further object of the invention is to pro,- vide an opener for bottles, cans, ars and the like whereby the screw top of the same may be tightly gripped with an increasing pres sure whereby the tightest fitting top may be quickly and easily unscrewed or removed with comparatively slight effort.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an opener for cans,'jars and the like which is economical to manufacture and which is highly efficient in use.

Another and further objectof the invention is to provide an opener for screw capped containers wherein there is provided a flexible member for surrounding the cap and which member is tightened by cam action for tightly gripping the cap for removing or applying the same.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide an opener for capped containers whereby acam action is applied to the cap for opening purposes. 7

Generally speaking the opener of the present invention contemplates a flexible member supported on a handle and which member may be passed about a cap with the free end thereof clamped in the handle by cam action thus tightening the flexible member andretaining it in tightenedposition for opening purposes. i K

The invention further contemplates a simple device having a hook prong engagingunderneath the lower margin of a cap and overhanging shoulders for applying cam' action tot-he cap when removing the same from a container. V

The above, other, and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, accompanying drawing, and appended-claim.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing and the views thereof are as follows: Figure 1 is atop plan View of the illus? trated form of the invention showing the same applied to the screw cap of a container and adjusted thereabout in a manner to tighten the cap on the container.

Figure 2 isa front elevational view of the device of the present invention showing a fragmental portion of the flexible encircling member. 7 7 v V j Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the arrangement of Figure .2 and taken on the lineIII-III of saidfiguren;

Figure 4 isa side elevational view of the device of the present invention illustrating the manner of using it when removing a crimped cap from a container. p

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of line V-V :of Figure 3.

The drawing will now be explained.

The choice of device chosen. to exemplify the present invention is illustrated as consisting of a body. or handle lhaving an end 2 which is curved terminating in a sharpened edge 3. A lip 4 is'riveted-at 5 t0 the handle or body 1 and is disposed to extend towards the edge-3.

1 Between the lip land the body 1 a metallic loop or swinging link 6 is secured. A ring 7 is secured in theloop with the bent end 2 passing through. the ring. A flexible band or tape 8 is fastened to the ring 7vby having aportion thereof looped about apart of the ring as at 9 andwith the end'inturned against the band and rivetedthereto as at 10. The other end of the band is free as at 11.

' Figure 1 illustrates a jar .such for instance as aimason jar 12 having a screw cap 13 applied to the-same. Said figureillustrates the manner of applying the'opener of the present-invention when it is desired to utilize the same fortightening acap on a-container. r t 7 100 The end of thehandle 1-oppositetothat having the loop 2 is provided with an undercut should .16 which if desired may be utilized for removing clamped crimped caps from bottles such for instance as on ginger ale and root beer bottles.

When it is desired to tighten a screw cap on a container the free end 11 of the band or tape is passed between the end 9 of the tape that is the end where it is fastenedto the ring 7 and the adjacent space of the curved portion 2 of the opener. Thus a loop is formed. The loop is then placedover the screw top as illustrated in Figure 1, the free end of the tape is then drawn tightlywhereupon the operator grasps the body 1 with one hand keeping a thumb on the tape where it lies along side of the body 1 and then wraps the opener about the curved end in a direction to tighten the tape 8 about the screw top 13. The fulcrum thus formed is a rolling fulcrum along the curved outer face of the curved portion 2. Continued application of power-to the body 1' tending to turn it about the fulcrum thereof which fulcrum gradually approaches the sharpened margin 3 so that a biting 0r crimping or clamping grip is had of the screw cap 13' by the tape or band 8, the turning movement continuing until the cap is tightly applied to the container.

If it were desired to utilize the opener for unscrewing a cap then the same would be applied to the cap 13 in the reverse order that is with the loop opening upwardly rather than downwardly as observed in Figure 1 of the drawing and the rocking movement then of the handle 1 wouldbe counterclockwise as viewed in this figure.

The ring 7 is swingable in the loop 6 towards and away from the curved end 2 of the handle or lever. When the free end of the band or tape 8is inserted between the ring and the convex side of the curved end and placed about a'cap, movement of the handle 1 in direction to tighten the band will lock thevband between the convex side 'of the curved end 2 and the ring 9 so that it is unnecessary for the user to hold the band.

' against the handle in operating this device.

Pressure of the extremity or near extremity of the end 2 against the band about the cap or article constitutes another look to prevent slippage or movement of the band with respect to the device.

The curved end 2 is short so as to enable application of the device to caps or articles of small size.

There are thus provided two locked points between the device and the band when applied in operative position, thereby increasing the eficiency thereof and enabling its use on small sized articles or caps as small, for instance, as the caps of paste tubes or the like.

of the present invention finds ready use in such connection.

When it is desired to use the present invention for such purposes the same is applied to the cap as illustrated in Figure 4: with the lip t engaging underneath a margin of the cap 13 and with the sharpened edge 3 bearing against the outside of the cap. A prying action then takes place resulting in the movement of the body member 1 in a slightly counterclockwise direction so that the lip 4 will pry off a portion of the margin of the cap 14 distorting the same to some extent and thus removing the same from the bottle 15.

A hole 17 may be provided in the handle 1 for hanging up the opener of the present invention.

The edge 3 may be used in extracting or lifting inset lids such as found on coffee and paint containers.

. I prefer to apply a woven fabric for the tape 8 because of its relatively high coefficient of friction with either wet or dry articles. 1

Further, the device is adaptable to a wide variety of sizes and forms of containers.

It will be observed that the opener of the present invention engages the bottle or can top with clamping action for removing the same after the'cap or top has been applied. The same clamping action is utilized when the present invention isemployed for'applying screw tops or caps to containers.

The invention has been described herein more or less precisely as to details yet it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby as changes may be made in the arrangement and substitution of parts and that equivalents may be substituted without'departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. i i

. The invention is claimed as follows:

An article clamp comprising 'a lever having a handle portion and a short curved end portion, the curved portion extending from one side, then crossing the lever and extending thereabove, a buckle straddling said curved portion'and pivotally secured on the side of the lever opposite the convex face of said portion to abut said convex face to thereby provide means to clamp an article-securing strap, the strap being secured at one end on said buckle with its free portion passing between said buckle and said convex face when the strap is positioned encircling an article, the lever being moved to tighten the strap with the convex face forming a rollin fulcrum in the clamping operation.

Tn testimony whereof I have hereunto'subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois. V OCTAVE J. ST. PIERRE.

Sometimes it is desirable to remove crimped caps from bottles andthe like and the opener 

